Gun mount



Aprifi 4', 19446 A. c. HAKE GUN MOUNT Filed Feb. 13, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet1 S' Sheets-SheQt 2 c; HAKE GUN MOUNT Filed Feb April 4, 1944.

April 4, 1944. A, c, HAKE 2,345,747

GUN MOUNT 1 Filed, Feb. 13, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet s i il l I: q

I 69 I a;

. i 64 E L. I I I 74 2 1, 5 25 II, a II I 4- n :1

' Q 1. ur IIIIII III;

5Q I v 3mm 31am? 1 Hum:

Patented Apr. 4, 1944 GUN MOUNT Albert C. Hake, Baltimore, Md., assignorto The Glenn L. Martin Company, Baltimore, Md.

Application February 13, 1941, Serial No. 378,696

4 Claims. (Cl. 89-375) This invention relates to a gun support which isparticularly adapted for use on war aircraft. The gun support heredescribed includes a swinging stowage arm which scissors to permit thegun to be drawn inwardly to facilitate storage when not in use. Inparticular, the invention relates to such an arrangement in which meansare provided for locking the gun in firing position through means whichlock the gun supporting structure in extended position against movementin all directions.

The principal object of the invention is to provide such an arrangementwhich is simple and effective in operation.

Other and more specific objects of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims when read in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a gun support and stowage arm constructedin accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in perspective of a locking and releasingshaft forming a part of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in perspective of a cam surface forming apart of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, partly in cross section, of the lockingand releasing mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'l! of Fig. 6.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the gun support 2 which has a vertical gun supportshaft 4 receives a machine gun or rapid firing small cannon or the like(not shown). This structure is rigid with the outer portion 6 of apivoted stowage arm 8, the inner portion ll] of the stowage armterminates in a, cylindrical part I2 provided with a vertical bore whichreceives a pin l4 rigidly secured to a bracket It so that the stowagearm 8, when free, may be. swung about pinl4. The bracket I6 is securedto structure I 8 which is rigid with the aircraft. The. bracket I6 alsosupports a bearing member through which the pin l4 passes, and the upperflat surface of this member 20 serves as the bearing surface for thereciprocating movement of the cylindrical part l2 about the pin l4 whenthe stowage arm 8 is moved to extended firing position as shown in Figs.1 and 2, or retracted to inoperative position.

Also rigid with the aircraft, and extending outwardly from the structureI8, is a rectangular frame 22, the side arms 24 of which slant upwardly.The outer end 25 of this frame has solid metal portions provided withtwo cone shaped sockets 26 adapted to receive complementary lugs 28which extend outwardly from a lower part of the portion 6 of the stowagearm 8, and which enter the sockets 26 when the stowage arm 8 is inextended position. The outer end 25 of the frame also has, in a solidportion, a socket 30 adapted to receive the lower end 32 of a verticallocking shaft 34, after the stowage arm has been placed in extendedposition.

It will be noted that in its extended position the forward edge 36 ofthe arm 6 abuts a rear surface 38 of the front wall 25 of therectangular frame. This abutting relationship together with theengagement of the lugs 28 in the sockets 26, and the engagement of thelower end'32 in the socket 30, act to secure the gun support 2 againstmovement and rigidly with the aircraft, and to retain it in suchposition until released by means which will now be described.

With particular reference now to Figs. 1 and 6, the locking shaft 34 isshown as mounted in the arm 6 near its outer end. The mounting is suchas to permit the locking shaft 34 to be moved vertically or rotated bymeans of the handle 4G. Normally, the shaft, however, is urgeddownwardly by a coil spring 42 which, at its lower end, bears against ashoulder 44 on the shaft, and at its upper end against a surface 46rigid with the portion 6 of the stowage arm 8.

From Fig. 6 is will be seen that vertical movement of the shaft 34 isguided by a cylindrical housing 48 formed in the portion 6 of thestowage arm. The housing is just sufficient in diameter to receive theshoulder 44 of the shaft 34, The upper end of the cylindrical housing 48is closed except for an opening sufficient in diameter to permit theshaft to pass therethrough. It is the under surface of the closure whichforms the surface 46 already mentioned.

A bearing member 56 is formed on the upper surface of the portion 6 toreceive the shaft 34. This bearing member, as shown'in Figs. 3 and 5, isformed with a cam surface 52. A pin 54, rigid with shaft 34 andextending laterally therefrom, rests on the cam surface at 56 when theshaft is in downward locking position. This is the position shown inFigs. 1 and 6.

Upward movement of the shaft to an unlocking position is effected byturning the handle 40 in a clockwise direction thus causing'the pin 54to ride along the cam surface 52 and raise the shaft 34 vertically to aposition where the lower portion 32 thereof-is free of the socket 30. Itis then still impossible to effect a scissors or folding action'of thestowage arm 8 because of further locking means now to be described whichmust first be released.

The stowage arm, generally indicated as 8, is made up of two portions 6and H], which are joined together by a vertical pivot pin 56. This pin56 passes through the bifurcated end of the portion 6 and through theend of the portion I I) which enters the space formed by thebifurcation. The portion 6 is provided with an abutment surface 58 whichis adapted to engage the end surface 50 of the portion I when theportions are in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Mounted in the portion Gof the stowage arm is a locking pin 62 which ismovable longitudinally and is normally urged by the spring 64 toward theportion l0.

ID are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the end 66 of the locking pin 52is engaged in a socket 68 in the end surface 60 of portion 10. The pinthus serves to lock the portions 6 and Ill in the position shown in Fig.2 in which the stowage arm is in extended position and the gun can befired, and from which position the parts cannot be released until thepin 62 is withdrawn from the socket 68.

When the pin 62 is withdrawn from the socket by means to be described,it will be manifest that the two portions 6 and I0 can be broken at 58,6B and then folded or scissored with the pin 56 as a fulcrum, thusmaking it possible to retract the gun support 2 inwardly. This action isfacilitated by the beveled surface 19. The surface also aids inrestoring the stowage arm 8 again to extended position since it servesas a sliding surface for the end 66 of the pin 62 when the portions 6and in are moved into a straight line as the gun mount is extendedforwardly.

The arrangement described and shown is such that the pin 62 is not movedinto unlocked position until the lower end 32 of the locking shaft 34has been raised at least partly out of the sock et 30 (Fig. 6). Furtherclockwise movement of the handle 40 then causes a pawl 12, rigid withthe locking shaft 34, to engage a catch M on the end of the locking pin62 (see Figs. 2 and 7) and to draw the pin 62 longitudinally against theaction of the spring 64 to release its other end 66 from the socket inthe portion [0. Such an unlocking of the pin 62 is thus effected duringthe last part of the movement of the handle 40, for the pawl 12 has notprior to that time been brought into a position in which it can engagewith the catch 14.

From the description given, it should be clear that the gun support,from a retracted folded inoperative position can be moved outwardly to afiring position, in which latter position the gun support and thestowage arm are rigidly held and locked against movement in anydirection. The gun support can then only be retracted when the lockingmeans are manually released. During the releasing, the stowage armremains rigid until the locking shaft nears its raised unlocked lockingposition when further movement of the handle 40 simultaneously releasesthe locking pin 62 and raises the locking shaft 34 completely from thesocket 313. The stowage arm can then be folded or scissored with the pin56 as the fulcrum so as to permit the gun support to be retracted.

It is quite apparent that the mechanism illustrated and described can beused on various types of craft, vehicles or structures, aside fromaircraft to which, however, it is particularly adapt- When the portions.6 and.

' in a horizontal plane, said stowage arm being comprised of at leasttwo portions hinged together, means rigid with the craft for receivingthe outer end of said stowage arm when the arm is extended and theportions are disposed in a straight line, and releasable means forlocking the stowage arm in extended position in which the portionsforming the arm are disposed in. a straight line, said means comprisinga lockin pin adapted to extend from one portion of said arm into asocket in the other, and a vertical locking member carried by the end ofsaid stowage arm and engageable by a socket in said receiving means.

2. A gun support comprising, a stowage arm, a gun mount carried by theouter end of said arm, the inner end of said arm being pivoted to asupport rigid with the craft on which the gun is to be mounted, wherebythe arm may be swung in a horizontal plane, said stowage arm beingcomprised of two portions hinged together. means rigid with the craftfor receiving the outer end of said stowage arm when the arm is extendedand the portions are disposed in a straight line, said means includin atleast one socket adapted to receive a complementary shaped lug carriedby the stowage arm, and releasabl means for locking the stowage arm inextended position in which the two portions forming the arm are disposedin a straight line, said means comprising a locking pin adapted toextend from one portion of said arm into a socket in the other, and avertical locking member carried by the end of said stowage arm andengageable by a socket in said receiving means.

3. A gun support comprising, a stowage arm, a gun mount carried by theouter end of said arm. the inner end of said arm being. pivoted to asupport rigid with the craft on which the gun is to be mounted, wherebythe arm may be swung in a horizontal plane, said stowage arm beincomprised of two portions. hinged together, means rigid with the craftfor receiving the outer end of said stowage arm when the arm is extendedand the portions are disposed in a straight line, and releasable meansfor locking the stowage arm in extended position in which the twoportions forming the arm are disposed in .a straight line, said meanscomprising a locking pin adapted to e t n fr m. one portion of said arminto a socket in the other, and a vertical locking member carried by theend of said stowage arm and engage able by a socket in said receivingmeans, and means for simultaneously actuating said locking member andsaid pin to withdraw them from look ing position, whereby the stowagearm may be folded at the hinge and swung into retracted position.

4. Retractable gun support means comprising a stowage arm pivoted at itsinner end to a rigid support to swing in a horizontal plane, a verticalhinge intermediate the ends of said stowage arm whereby said arm may befolded and swung into retracted position or extended to straightposition, a gun mount carried by the outer end of said stowage arm,rigid means for receiving the outer end of said arm when the same is inextended position, and manually releasable means for locking the arm inextended position securely with said rigid receiving means, said lockingmeans comprising a locking shaft mounted for vertical movement in theouter end of said arm, said rigid receiving means having a socket toreceive the lower end of said shaft, spring means for urging said shaftdownwardly, a locking pin carried by an outer portion of said stowagearm and movable longitudinally into and out of engagement with a socketin an inner portion of said arm adjacent said hinge, spring means forurging one end of said pin into engagement with said socket, a catchmember secured to the other end of said pin, a pawl secured to saidshaft and adapted to engage said catch when said shaft is turned, amember extending laterally from said shaft, a cam surface carried by theouter portion of said arm and engaged by said lateral member, and ahandle on said shaft, whereby when said handle is turned said shaft israised to withdraw the end of said shaft from its corresponding socketand said pawl engages said catch to withdraw said locking pin from itscorresponding socket to release said locking means and permit thestowage arm to be folded and swung to retracted position.

ALBERT C. HAKE.

